Final PaperR Draft (1000 words minimum)
OGL563: Final paper instructions
Fall A, 2021
The final project for the course is an analytical research paper that focuses on the organizational
and leadership dynamics of a social change organization of your choice.
When choosing the organization you want to examine it can be either an organization that you
have personally participated (or are participating) in, or it can be an organization (contemporary
or historical) you are familiar with through reading.
By “analytical research paper,” I mean that the purpose of this paper is for you to provide an in-
depth analysis of the organization of your choosing. In providing that analysis, you will draw on
readings from this class, outside literature researched on your own (please use a minimum of five
academic sources that are not included on our syllabus), and (depending on your engagement
with the organization) your personal experience. If you are writing about an organization you did
not personally work within, you will also likely need to do some reading (or potentially interview
members) about the organization’s history to be able to respond to the sections (below).
The format of the paper will follow Michael Brown’s process for building and strengthening a
community organization presented in Building Strong Community Organizations and the analysis
of social change organizations discussed in From the Ground Up. This paper will also require
some self-reflection on social change organizations and the student’s leadership initiatives in
bringing about positive change.
This paper is an analysis of an organization rather than, for example, a paper synthesizing
research results or making an original argument. As such, it follows a relatively straightforward
format (detailed below).
Each of the section headers (bold, in red) should be used verbatim as the section headers in your
paper. Each section will also give specific instructions and a list of questions. The sections are
intended to ensure that you focus your analysis on specific dimensions of the organization.
Although you will be writing in a narrative format, please make sure to respond to the questions
(in bold) under each section header. However, because this is an analytical research paper you
should not simply respond to the questions, but use the question as a guide in offering an analysis
(in paragraph format) within each section.
Please note that some of the questions may be more or less difficult for you to answer depending
on your personal experience with the organization (or they may be phrased in a way that implies
you are working with the organization when you didn’t). Please feel free to respond to “the
spirit” of these questions and do your best to answer them given the information you have
available and your positionality with the organization.
1. Social Change Organization
Our text, From the Ground Up, defines a social change organization as “one that addresses
systemic, root causes of social and economic inequalities and thus aims to structurally transform
society to achieve greater social and economic justice.” This definition highlights structural
change rather than an individual-oriented service provision – this is an important distinction in
the field and for this class.
What is the name of your organization of interest? How is your organization of interest a
social change organization? According to the authors of From the Ground Up, how would
your organization be categorized (e.g. advocacy, organizing)? Are constituent engagement
and participation an important focus in your organization of interest? How is this
implemented? Is the role of individual transformation prominent in your organization’s
theory of change?
2. Framing and Collective Identity
Framing has long been recognized as an important factor in the long-term success of a
movement. People are attracted to and committed to remaining involved in movements when the
issues are presented or “framed” in a way so that they resonate with the beliefs, feelings, and
desires of potential recruits. Ryan and Gamson (2015, p. 136) define a frame as a thought
organizer, highlighting certain events and facts as important and rendering others
invisible. Framing is a main activity that organizers are involved in and may even result in
framing wars where organizers act as opponents in an attempt to win the hearts and minds of the
public and have them join their movement. For people to devote time and energy to a movement
people have to be excited about being part of the larger group and have a feeling that they can
help – a collective identity. Collective identities can have strategic predicaments in that the same
identity that attracts someone to the movement can also turn away others. How does your
organization of interest “frame” their primary focus? What is the collective identity that
organizers either use or create to arouse interest in and loyalty to their cause?
3. Step One – The Idea Arrives
Sometimes an idea takes hold of you, maybe there is pollution from a factory of busses near your
house, layoffs where you work, a hospital closing, or toxic waste scheduled to be buried near a
playground you frequent. The idea is in your head and you can’t stop thinking about it. Now
what?
How did the idea for building a social change organization manifest itself in your
organization of interest? For example, did one person generate the idea or multiple?
4. Step Two – Develop the Vision
Now that the idea is there, where do you want to go from here? A vision is something that will
inspire and motivate you. A compelling vision can also inspire and motivate others. A vision
can provide hope and will keep people going when they otherwise might feel tired and
discourage. It is important to put the vision into words. You may also have a painting or
drawing that symbolizes the vision.
What is the vision statement of your organization of interest? Is there a logo or symbol
that accompanies the vision to help illustrate their social change focus?
5. Step Three – Start with Yourself – Tell Your Story
Why are you doing this? It is important to know deep inside yourself the connection you have
between the vision and the organization. If you are not clear and connected, it will be difficult to
keep going at it for any length of time. People who join your group want to know who you are
and why you are involved in this organization. People need a personal connection they can
believe in – they want to know your story. “What motivated you to start the organization?”
Stories connect us to actions and can help diffuse abstractions. Further, Michael Brown notes
that an important element of identifying leaders is knowing who is likely to become a leader and
why. Brown goes on to say that the emphasis on self-interest helps to avoid the trap of
organizing people who only want to help others. If the organization’s action is not connected to
its members’ self-interest, then such action or organization is likely to be short-lived. To identify
self-interest, it helps to have people tell their stories. Why have they come to the organization?
Where do they come from? What motivates them to be in the group?
Why did you choose this organization? What is something that you feel passionately
about? Why does this subject matter to you? What is a story from your life that relates to
your passion for this subject matter? Why do you think other members are involved in
this organization?
If you intend to start or strengthen an organization, it helps to examine how your attitudes and
motivations about yourself and leadership style will affect the organization. Organizations
encounter obstacles and sometimes the strongest opposition is your mind. We also all come to
organizations with certain beliefs and biases about how the world works and about other people,
including other organizations. We need to examine beliefs about the world that might hold our
organization back and the success and effectiveness of our work. Brown gives the example that
one might think, “All people in public housing are lazy, sponging off the government.” Having
this belief might prevent the opportunity to work with public housing residents and to improve
conditions in the town or city. Another example provided is, “Corporations are out only to make
money and therefore we will not work with them to improve product safety” This stops one from
working effectively with a company that might genuinely be interested and helpful in improving
product safety. (p. 44)
What is an attitude about yourself and the capacity to lead an organization that you have
to let go of? What specific behaviors can you practice to change this attitude? How can
motivations and attitudes you have about yourself strengthen the organization of
interest? Do you have any biases or certain beliefs about how the world works that you
think might detract from your capacity to be fully engaged with the organization of
interest?
6. Step Four – Listen to Others
The next step is to listen to other people. What do they think about your idea? When you
approach people and discuss your idea it is important to listen to what they say. If the people
you approach, say “great idea, you go do it!” they probably are not going to join your
movement. You need to listen to what motivates people, how does the issue concern them? Is
there a personal connection? As already noted, it is important to listen to people closest to the
problem or situation that you want to address. It is a good idea to talk broadly to a lot of people
and listen now to all the people you eventually want to be part of your organization. Building a
sustainable organization is going to take broad support.
How did the organization approach this step? Did listening to others involve: informal
chats? Putting the idea in writing, distributing, and following up with
discussion? Implementing focus groups? In other words, how does your organization listen
to others?
7. Step Five – Put Your Organization in Writing
Putting your idea into writing commits you more powerfully to the idea. Writing your idea down
forces you to be more specific and is a critical step in advancing your idea. This might also be a
good time to name your organization. The name is important as it affects the scope and
membership of your organization.
Hopefully, you have already indicated this in the first paragraph of your paper! What is
the name of your organization?
8. Step Six – Develop a Sponsoring Committee
In this step, develop a list of people who agree to publicly support your idea and
organization. You will want people that have credibility in your community where you are
focusing your work. Often the sponsoring committee list is attached to your written statement
and used with publicity, to get the word out. Others who have not heard of your new
organization may look for other people or organizations they know to form some type of
connection.
Who publicly supports the organization you chose? Did this list of sponsors influence your
decision to immerse yourself in this organization in the first place?
9. Step Seven – Bring Together a Core Group
It will be important to bring people into the core group who agree with the basic principles of
your group. Effective groups require clear boundaries, including a common perspective on core
issues. In developing your core group you will also want people who can bring talents, insights,
skills, and backgrounds that are different from your own to implement some diversity in your
organization.
Knowing your personality, what other kinds of personalities would be most useful in the
core group? What special knowledge do you have? What special needs or skills do you
lack that the core group needs?
What are the organization’s essential principles? What are the groups or communities it
eventually wants in its organization? Who is represented in these groups? Is there
someone from all of these groups in your core group? Who are they? Who is missing?
10. Step Eight – Developing a Mission, Goals, and Objectives
The mission statement should inspire people and unify them around a shared purpose. The
mission statement provides a guide or compass for the organization. Writing the mission
statement down helps solidify the purpose and provides an opportunity for the group to reflect
and revise this shared commitment. The goals and objectives break down the mission statement
into progressively more specific levels.
What is the mission statement, goals, and objectives of your organization of interest? How
does the organization measure its objectives? Please critique the transparency, detail, and
effectiveness.
11. Step 9 - Develop a Structure
It is important to build an organization with the right foundation and framework so that it lasts
and is sustainable over time. The structure includes the group’s decision-making process, rules,
meeting location and times, funding, membership guidelines and dues, mission, goals,
objectives, and group dynamics. What is the organizational structure? Is that structure
clear to anyone wanting to participate? Pay careful attention to “implicit” and “explicit”
structures. Some groups are not explicit about their structure. This allows unspoken lines
of authority to exist without acknowledging them.
Decision-Making Structures
From the Ground Up highlights two distinct dimensions of decision-making in social change
organizations: 1. The way authority is distributed internally (among directors and staff
members) and, 2. The openness of the organization to a client or constituent influence. Which
configuration of internal authority (e.g., multi-level hierarchy, flat hierarchy, hub, and
spokes, etc.) is best represented in your organization of interest? Would you describe your
organization of interest as having a democratic or hierarchical staff structure? What are
the challenges with working with this structure?
Which approach to constituent influence does your organization utilize (e.g., the active
solicitation of constituent input, constituent identification of priorities for their activity,
etc.)?
12. Influences and Implications
The authors of From the Ground Up discuss possible factors shaping social change structure,
including variation in approaches to social change. Important in the authors’ analysis of social
change organizations on structure were the factors of the organization’s work, the environment,
and values.
First, the authors note that a substantial literature suggests that organizations should be structured
in ways that support the type of work that they are trying to perform. In particular, the authors
found a relationship between the organization’s approach to the work of social change and the
structure of the constituent influence. In this section, discuss and analyze any evidence of a
relationship between the organization’s approach to the work of social change and the
structure of constituent influence
Second, the authors note that the literature on organizations also suggests that environmental
conditions, in particular complexity and stability, have important implications for organizational
structure. Would you describe the environment as stable or complex within which your
organization of interest operates? Do the environmental conditions have implications for
organizational structure in your organization?
Third, the role of values or ideology is important in shaping organizational structure. A
commitment to a particular set of values may motivate the choice of a decision-making system
rather than the considerations of effectiveness. What are the key values of your organization
or interest? What are the specific behaviors that demonstrate those values?
13. Leadership
It is not just up to the leader to determine the mission. Leaders are encouraged to take on the
task of direction setting but with some degree of consultation and collaboration. In your
assessment how well did the leaders of your organization of interest provide direction with
participation within the organization? A social change organization’s commitment to
transformation and constituent participation creates a high standard in the realm of the quality of
internal relationships although the limited resources and demanding work make meeting this
high standard very difficult. The internal aspect of leadership most frequently highlighted as
an important attribute was the capacity to manage interpersonal relationships. In your
critique, is internal growth supported in your organization of interest?
With all of the challenges for social change organizational leaders, it is important to reflect on
how they can prepare for this work. How did the current leaders of your organization of
interest develop their capacities? Where are the shortfalls in terms of producing the kind
of leadership required by social change organizations (e.g. deficiencies in learning
participatory practices, supporting staff members doing transformative work, and
balancing organizational needs collaboration and movement building)?
How do social change leaders -with their uneven preparation – go about training the next
generation of leadership for social change? What opportunities and support for staff or
constituent development have they structured into your organization of interest? What
types of leadership roles are different groups (staff vs constituents) being prepared
for? And what are the areas of skill, knowledge, or attitude in which development
occurs? Does your organization of interest promote leaders from within? Is your
organization led by a founding member? What is the role of the board in your
organization?
14. Step 10 – Build Power
What do you need to accomplish what you want? Power requires that you can mobilize
resources.
Most SCOs have limited options for financial support and need to leverage other resources so
that they can accomplish their missions. How SCOs meet their resource challenges varies
according to their social change orientation. Does your SCO focus on collective action or
individual empowerment? What resource strategy does your organization use based on its
social change orientation? Resource strategies associated with different social change
approaches have complementary strengths and weaknesses. Where does your organization
receive a majority of its funding? What does this say about the organization?
Building organizations requires constantly mobilizing resources. Organizations that want to
improve conditions in the world but are not always bringing in new members will lose strength.
Organizations always need to recruit to replace members lost. The community changes too, you
need new ideas for changing times. Strong organizations bring in new members to challenge the
ideas of existing leaders. How does your organization recruit new members? What is the
best way to recruit new members in your opinion? Face to face, social media, flyers, email,
etc.?
15. Step 11 – Understand Strategy
The authors of From the Ground Up state that all organizations must work in partnerships when
they wish to accomplish something that they cannot do alone. With the limited resources of
social change organizations and their large missions, these organizations in particular are likely
to need partners. The stronger the capacity for collaborative work, the greater potential for
systemic change. What type of collaboration presented in From the Ground Up (political
coalition, complementary alliances and match-making, service partnerships and issue-area
networks, or joint production) does your organization of choice utilize based on its social
change orientation?
16. Step 12 – Taking Action, Solving Problems, Getting Results
What are Actions?
Every organization has a program, often referred to in the organizing world as an
action. Common types of actions include forums or panels, public hearings, research actions, or
accountability sessions. Whatever the program or action, it’s the goal of the action that is
important.
Actions Cause Tensions
Any social change or improvement project requires action. Action will bring about
tension. Without this increased tension nothing will change. Actions will bring contradictions to
light. For example, organizers will spread awareness about the contradiction of how people
should be treated and the actual reality of their living conditions. Actions are also experiences
for learning. People learn through action – an action is required to incite a reaction followed by
learning and change. We need experiences outside of our normal routine to provide an
opportunity for change and learning to happen. We also need to take the time to evaluate and
reflect on the experience so that we can move on to further action and be open to greater
learning. What actions are implemented by your organization of interest? What was the
goal? What was the reaction? Was the reaction expected? Was the goal achieved? What
was learned? What could be done differently next time?
17. Step 13 – Looking Forward
Is your social change organization making efforts to be a critical resource for a progressive
movement? How is your organization accomplishing this? By providing political education
and space for constituent engagement? Creating networks across issues and/or
communities? Promoting local leadership among marginalized groups? Contributing to a shared
understanding of the problems of inequality and injustice? Offering a public space for the
dialogue needed to identify common principles? Are there obstacles to your organization’s
effective movement efforts? Also, assess the importance or centrality of local leaders in the
social movement efforts you describe. Think about, is leadership assumed to reside in an
individual, or is it perceived as something more frequent, distributed, and cryptic,
manifesting itself as processes, contextual events, and relational interactions?